Flour and middlings separator



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1.

' G. P. SHUMAKER.

FLOUR AND MIDDLINGS SEPARATOR.

No. 437,942. Patented Oct. 7, 1890.

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(No Model.) '2 Shets-Sheet 2.

G. F. SHUMAKER.

FLOUR AND MIDDLINGS SEPARATOR. No. 437,942.. Patented Oct. 7, 1890.

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CHARLES F. SHUMAKER, OF sILvER CREEK, NEW YORK.

FLOUR AND MI DDLINGS SEPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,942, dated October 7, 1890. Application filed September 24, 1887. $erial No. 250,563. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. SHUMAKER', of Silver Creek,in the county of Chautauqua, and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Flour and Middlings Separators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of machines which are employed for separating the flour and meal of reduced corn from the bran, middlings, and other coarse material, and

which are provided with a shaking separating- I section in line y 11 Fig. 1.

screen.

The object of my invention is to construct a simple and efficient machine of this kind Which will effect a thorough separation of the different grades of material.

The invention consists of the improvements which will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure l is a longitudinal sectional elevation of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section thereof in line a: m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the tailend of the machine. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross- Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the machine, showing a top plan view of the reciprocating brush-frame. Fig. 6 is a cross-section in line 2 2, Fig. 1.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the supporting-frame of the machine, and B the inclosing-casing attached thereto and divided into two chambers or compartments B B by a transverse partition b.

0 represents the feed-spout, and G the feedbox arranged below the spout and receiving the material therefrom.

D represents the shaker-frame, arranged horizontally, or nearly so, within the casing B and supported by flexible or other suitable hangers D. The feed-box O is secured to the head of the shaker-frame, so as to vibrate therewith.

E represents the preliminary separatingscreen, and F the main separating-screen, both supported upon the shaker-frame D.

The preliminary screen E is arranged over the head portion of the main screen F in the headcompartmentB' andis clothedwithcoarse cloth, so that all of the material, excepting the coarse bran, will pass through the meshes of the preliminary screen,while the coarse bran is tailed ofi and discharged into two inclined discharge-spouts (l d, connected with the tall bars of the main shaker-frame by standards 2. A vibratory motion is imparted to the main shaker-frame D by an eccentric e and rod e or other suitable means.

The main screen F, which is arranged below the preliminary screen E, extends through both the front and rear chambers B and E the partition b being provided with a transverse opening b, through which the screen passes.

The front portion f of the screen F, which is arranged within the front chamber B and receives the material passing through the preliminary screen E, is provided with cloth of such fineness that only the fine flour will pass through its meshes, while the meal, grits, middlings, and fine bran pass on to the rear portion f of the screen, which is arranged in the rear chamber B This rear portion f of the main screen is provided with cloth of such mesh as to permit the granulated meal to pass through the same, while the grits, middlings, and fine bran tail off into an inclined discharge-spoutf The latter is secured transversely to the tail of the shakerframe D.

G represents a conveyer-trough, and g a screw conveyor, arranged lengthwise in the bottom of the casing B and extending from end to end thereof. The fine flour passing through the front portion f of the screen F falls into the front portion g of the trough arranged in the front chamber B, and is discharged therefrom through an opening closed by a slide h. The granulated meal, passing through the rear portion f of the screen F, falls into the rear portion 9 of the conveyertrough arranged in the rear chamber B and is discharged therefrom through an opening closed by a slide h.

I represents a series of reciprocating brushes which run in contact with the under side of the main screen F and prevent the meshes thereof from becoming clogged. As shown in Fig. 5, the frame to which the stocks of the brushes 1 are secured transversely is composed of longitudinal side bars 1', which pass through openings 1" in the partition b and connect with cross-bars t i The cross-bars 2' 7? slide upon horizontal supporting-barsj j. The latter are secured to the casing B by horizontal bolts k, which pass through vertical slots is, formed in upright pieces 10 securedto the casing. The bolts k are provided with thumb-nuts 10 which bear against the outer sides of the upright pieces I 10 so that upon loosening said thumb-nuts the supporting-bars jj and the brush frame can be adjusted vertically to cause the brushes to bearproperly against the bolting-cloth and to take up the wear of the brushes, if neces sary. The ends of the front cross-bar '6 project beyond the sides of the casing B and receive a reciprocating motion from a horizontal shaft lby means of connecting-rods Z and cranks Z secured to the shaft Z. The latter is arranged transversely above the rear end of the shaft of the conveyer g and is mounted in suitable bearings secured to the supporting-frame A.

M represents a worm-wheel secured to the shaft Z and meshing with a worm m, secured to the shaft of the conveyer g. By this means a slow rotary motion is imparted to the shaft land cranks Z which latter in turn imparta slow reciprocating movement to the brushes I. The main frame F is preferably composed of aseries of removable sections resting on a rabbet on the shaker-frame D and abutting with their cross-pieces n, and a brush I is provided for each sect-ion of bolting-cloth between two of these cross-pieces, as rep resented in Fig. 1.

The cranks Z are made of such a length that the range of movement of the brushframe will be somewhat longer than the distance between the cross-pieces n of the main screen, so that the cross-pieces n will strike the brushes I when the latter reach either extreme of their movement, and thereby jar the brushes and dislodge any material adhering to the same.

0 represents a suction-fan communicating with the rear chamber B and creating an aircurrent through said-chamber, whereby the fine dust and light fluify impurities are removed from the material on the rear portion f of the screen F.

0' represents the fan-case, and O the airtrunk which connects the fan with the top of the rear chamber B municates with the full eye p on one side of the fan-case and with the part pf on the other side of the fan-case, as shown in Fig. 2. The

The air-trunk O comchamber B communicates with the air-trunk O by an opening 10 formed in the top of said chamber.

(1 represents air-inlet'openings formed in both sides of the rear chamber B below the main screen F, and q is a similar opening formed in the rear wall of the chamber B The partition b separates the front chamber B from the rear chamber B and prevents any air-current from passing through the front chamber and interfering with the separation of the flour, which is eifected in the front chamber B. The side walls of the casinginclosing the rear chamber B are provided with two cant-boards r, projecting over the sides of the screen-frame and preventing the dust from passing between the screen and the casing and falling into the conveyer-trough.

S represents an air-separator or aspirator arranged at the rear end of the machine and receiving the material from the dischargespout f of the main screenF. This aspirator is connected with the suction-fan O by an air-trunk S, which enters the eye 10 of the fan-case, as shown in Fig. 2. The aspi rator S is provided with an ascending" leg 3, which is open at its bottom and receives the tailings from the spout f and a pocket 8, which communicates with the upper end of the leg 3 and with the rear end of the airtrunk S. The enlarged separating-pocket s is provided with a gravity discharge-Valve 8 As the material passes from the spout f into the leg 3 of the aspirator it encounters the upward air-current produced by the fan 0, whereby the lighter materialssuch as dust and branare separated from the grits and carried upward, while the heavy particles of grits or middlings descend through the aircurrent and are discharged from the lower end of the leg 5 into a suitable receptacle. The dust'and bran are carried onward by the air-current, and the bran is deposited in the pocket 3', while the dust passes to the fan.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, with a shaking-screen provided with cross-bars, of a reciprocating brush arranged between said cross-bars, and mechanism whereby the brush is moved against said crossbars and jarred by the vibration of said bars, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the inclosing-casing and the conveyer g, of the vibrating screen F, provided with cross-bars, the recip rocating brushes I, arranged between said cross-bars, a horizontal shaft Z, provided with cranks Z rods Z, connecting the brush-frame and cranks Z a Worm-wheel M, mounted on the shaft Z, and a worm m, secured to the shaft of the conveyer g and meshing with the wheel M, substantially as set forth.

\Vit-uess my hand this 13th day of September, 1887.

CHARLES F. SHUMAKER. Witnesses:

'R. J. QUALE,

M. H.- MERRITT. 

